The Best In Auto Transport

Costs of Shipping a Vehicle

There are many factors that go into determining how much an auto transport company will charge to ship your vehicle. For someone who is not familiar with the process, the first step of obtaining a quote can be very confusing if you do not know what to expect. It is always in your best interest to request a breakdown of the fees for each quote you obtain, so that you can more easily compare apples to apples when shopping for the best rate. You should also be aware of the main components in determining the costs of shipping.

Contributing Cost Factors

Size of Vehicle– Larger and heavier vehicles are usually more expensive to ship as they take up more room and weigh down the transport truck, so you can expect to pay more for a heavy-duty truck than a compact sedan.

Type of Car Carrier– The most popular option for shipping a vehicle is to use an open container, but sometimes, you may determine an enclosed carrier is a better option for your car. If that is the case, you can expect an increase in costs, simply because the carrier type provides much better protection against the elements.

Condition of Vehicle– If your car is non-operational and cannot be driven on to the carrier, the costs will increase significantly because you will require a truck with the proper equipment to load and unload a non-working vehicle.

Drop-off and Pick-up Location– Although the distance itself plays a large part in determining cost, the location of drop-off and pick-up also weighs heavily in the calculation. More remote areas are more expensive than central locations, and you will find that you can save yourself some money if you are able to be flexible with beginning and end locations.

Terminal Use– If you are unable to have your vehicle dropped off immediately prior to shipping or picked up immediately after arrival, you may need to use a terminal for temporary storage. The fees for terminal use vary by location, but the longer your vehicle will be in one, the more you can expect to pay.

If you gather all the relevant information pertaining to the above factors prior to requesting information, you will receive the most accurate and detailed quote. If you are unsure about any information, feel free to ask your shipping company to elaborate. The testimony of a great shipping company should be the willingness and ability to fully service their customers and handle all questions or insecurities.